KINETIC MOLECULAR THEORY OF

MATTER
 Review
Non-polar molecules
1. Diatoms
2. Monoatomic ions-gases
3. Symmetrical
4. Electronegativity is less than 0.5
5. Hydrocarbons
Polar Molecules
1. Hydrogen – F, O, N
2. Asymmetrical
3. Electronegativity is above 0.5
EXERCISE
1. Cl2
2. NH3
3. CH3Br
4. CH4
 Kinetic molecular theory

The kinetic molecular theory of matter offers a

description of the microscopic properties of
atoms (or molecules) and their interactions,
leading to observable macroscopic properties
(such as pressure, volume, temperature). An
application of the theory is that it helps to
explain why matter exists in different phases
(solid, liquid, and gas) and how matter can
change from one phase to the next.
Distinguishing properties of solid, liquid
and gases
The kinetic molecular theory of matter
states that:
1. Matter is made up of particles that are
constantly moving.
2. All particles have energy, but the energy varies
depending on the temperature the sample of
matter is in. This in turn determines whether the
substance exists in the solid, liquid, or gaseous
state. Molecules in the solid phase have the
least amount of energy, while gas particles have
the greatest amount of energy.
3. The temperature of a substance is a measure of
the average kinetic energy of the particles.
The kinetic molecular theory of matter
states that:
4. A change in phase may occur when the energy of
the particles is changed.
5. There are spaces between particles of matter.
The average amount of empty space between
molecules gets progressively larger as a sample of
matter moves from the solid to the liquid and gas
phases.
6. There are attractive forces between
atoms/molecules, and these become stronger as
the particles move closer together. These attractive
forces are called Intermolecular forces.
• What holds the particles in the solid and liquid
state?
 Definition of terms
1. Intermolecular forces are attractive forces
between molecules.
2. Nonpolar covalent bonds are a type of
chemical bond where two atoms share a pair of
electrons with each other.
3. Polar covalent bonding is a type of chemical
bond where a pair of electrons is unequally
shared between two atoms.
 Dipole
• Molecular dipoles occur due to the unequal
sharing of electrons between atoms in a
molecule.
• Those atoms that are more electronegative
pull the bonded electrons closer to
themselves.
 Intermolecular Forces
• Intermolecular forces are much weaker than
the intramolecular forces of attraction but are
important because they determine the
physical properties of molecules like their
boiling point, melting point, density, and
enthalpies of fusion and vaporization.
 Types of intermolecular forces that
exist between molecules
1. Dipole-dipole interactions: These forces occur
when the partially positively charged part of a
molecule interacts with the partially negatively
charged part of the neighboring molecule. The
prerequisite for this type of attraction to exist is
partially charged ions—for example, the case of
polar covalent bonds such as hydrogen chloride,
Types of intermolecular forces that
exist between molecules
 Types of intermolecular forces that
exist between molecules
2. Hydrogen bonding: This is a special kind of
dipole-dipole interaction that occurs specifically
between a hydrogen atom bonded to either an
oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine atom. The partially
positive end of hydrogen is attracted to the
partially negative end of the oxygen, nitrogen, or
fluorine of another molecule.
 Types of intermolecular forces that
exist between molecules
Hydrogen bonding is a relatively strong force of
attraction between molecules, and considerable
energy is required to break hydrogen bonds.
This explains the exceptionally high boiling
points and melting points of compounds like
water, H2O, and hydrogen fluoride, HF. Hydrogen
bonding plays an important role in biology; for
example, hydrogen bonds are responsible for
holding nucleotide bases together in DNA and
RNA
Types of intermolecular forces that
exist between molecules
 Types of intermolecular forces that
exist between molecules
3. London dispersion forces, under the category of
van der Waal forces: These are the weakest of the
intermolecular forces and exist between all types of
molecules, whether ionic or covalent—polar or
nonpolar. The more electrons a molecule has, the
stronger the London dispersion forces are. For
example, bromine, Br2, has more electrons than
chlorine, Cl2, so bromine will have stronger London
dispersion forces than chlorine, resulting in a higher
boiling point for bromine, 59degC, compared to
chlorine, -35degC
Also, the breaking of London dispersion forces
doesn’t require that much energy, which
explains why nonpolar covalent compounds like
methane, CH4, oxygen, and nitrogen—which
only have London dispersion forces of attraction
between the molecules—freeze at very low
temperatures.
4. An ion-dipole force is an attractive force that
results from the electrostatic attraction between
an ion and a neutral molecule that has a dipole.
Most commonly found in solutions. Especially
important for solutions of ionic compounds in
polar liquids.
 Intermolecular Relative order of
Type of Compound
forces present boiling and melting
Covalent compounds Hydrogen bonds,
containing hydrogen London dispersion 1
bonds forces
Dipole-dipole
attraction between
Polar covalent dipoles created by
2
compounds partially charged
ions, London
dispersion forces

Nonpolar covalent London dispersion

3
compounds forces
 Let us rank the species in order of
increasing intermolecular forces
1. C4H10O
2. H2O
3. CH3OH
 Sample problem

Polar or London Dispersion Dipole-Dipole Hydrogen

Nonpolar Forces Forces Bonding
1.C3H8
2.CH3OH
3.H2S
4.HF
5.HCl
 activity
1. NH3
2.H2CO
3. C2H6
4. CH4